Two commentators who say Giants are Series-bound, plus lineup

I like listening to the MLB channel on my XM radio. There’s usually good conversation and they actually talk about teams outside of the Eastern time zone.

I mostly hear a program hosted by former Nationals and Reds GM Jim Bowden and Casey Stern. I know a lot of people don’t like Bowden and his opinions, but the show is lively and their opinions tend to be backed by good arguments.

Anyway, today they posed and answered this question: Of the three teams now leading their divisions by wide margins in the National League — Bowden’s two former employers and the Giants — which has the best chance of winning the 2012 World Series?

They’re not saying the NL team will win, mind you, just which of those three has the best chance.

Bowden and Stern both picked the Giants for three reasons.

Matt Cain

Madison Bumgarner

Tim Lincecum

All three teams have significant flaws, they argued, so they broke the tie by going with the rotation that has the experience of winning a World Series two years ago.

We all know that for Bowden and Stern to be right, Bumgarner has to fix his mechanics and Lincecum has to continue his second half in the postseason, not revert to the first half.

Lincecum seeks his 10th win tonight. Stunning that I can write that sentence before the 148th game of the season. If he does, he will become the first San Francisco pitcher since Jason Schmidt and the seventh overall to post double-digit wins in five consecutive seasons.

The Dodgers’ series opener at Washington was rained out and will be played as part of a doubleheader Wednesday. A Giants win reduces their magic number to seven. A loss keeps it at eight.